OR – Priest to be arraigned today, SNAP responds

OR – Priest to be arraigned today, SNAP responds

In the early 1990s, Catholic bishops claim, seminaries began to better screen and train potential priests about sexual difficulties. The charges against Fr. Angel Perez and dozens of other young clerics prove that those bishops' claims are exaggerated and those programs are problematic.

He worked in Astoria, Oregon City, Corvallis, Grants Pass and Coos Bay - a fairly high number of churches in a relatively short time.

Let’s hope that every person who has any information or suspicions that could shed light on these allegations will find the courage and strength to call police so that the full truth might become clear.

If you have knowledge or suspicions - however old, small or seemingly insignificant - about clergy sex crimes, it's your moral and civic duty to call police. Please summon the courage to do what's right, call law enforcement and hopefully prevent more devastated lives.

Oregon Catholic officials shouldn’t split hairs, make excuses and be silent. Whether a predator is a diocesan or religious order cleric, alive or dead, still in the area or moved elsewhere doesn’t matter. Bishops are the shepherds and have a duty to protect their flocks, help law enforcement, warn unsuspecting families and work hard to find and help others who’ve been wounded. We hope top Oregon church officials aggressively seek out others who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes by Fr. Perez.